Amores

Ovid

Ovid. Ovid's Art of Love (in three Books), the Remedy of Love, the Art of Beauty, the Court of Love, the History of Love, and Amours. Dryden, John, et al., translator. New York: Calvin Blanchard, 1855.

  1. Fate throws a fair occasion in thy way;
  2. Unlock the gate, the morning will not stay.
  3. Unlock the gate; and as thou'rt kind to me,
  4. So may thy gentle lady prove to thee;
  5. May she to loose thy hateful chains incline,
  6. And stead of water, be thy portion wine.
  7. But what avail my soothing words? Thy ear
  8. Is deaf, inhuman! to my moving pray'r.
  9. Your gates with posts of pond'rous oak are barr'd,
  10. As if your house was for a siege prepar'd;
  11. Why all this fence? what foe have you to fear?
  12. And why in peace do you provide for war?
  13. Thus rudely if your lady's friends you treat,
  14. What usage must her foes expect to meet?
  15. Unlock the gate,-the morning will not stay;
  16. Unlock the gate, and give my love its way.
  17. Or is it sloth or is it sleep that brings,
  18. This let to love, and pinions down his wings!
  19. Why else do I in vain repeat my prayer,
  20. Is it, thou dost not, or thou wilt not hear?
  21. When first I waited at thy gate, and thought
  22. To 'scape thy care, I was at midnight caught.
  23. With over-dilligence thou then look'st out,
  24. To spy what lover was upon the scout.
  25. These are wild guesses, thou'rt perhaps employ'd
  26. More sweetly, and enjoy'st what I enjoy'd.
  27. And while I'm waiting with impatience here,
  28. Thy envied fortune's with the faithless fair.
  29. Oh, for thy pleasure, give me all thy pains,
  30. Let us change chances, and be mine thy chains.